Faux DAG

[Ron Nossaman]

Sorry Greg, I'm not done.

Maybe we're not talking about the same thing. I'm referring to DAG 154. If
you are talking about something else, please specify.

In arriving at any given truth, faith, conjecture, insistence at volume, and
random guesses are wonderful methods. All around the world, governments,
schools, and legal systems rely heavily on these very processes. I, on the
other hand am an empirical, hard headed, hands-on, show me kind of guy. If
you would indulge me for a moment and play along, I'll try to make a point.

Go directly to the shop and round up your powdered graphite and denatured
alcohol. Combine a small quantity of the two in what ever proportions gets
you a nice creamy sludge (similar in consistency to DAG 154). Brush a little
on a piece of scrap maple. Leaving both the experimental mix, and the Faux
DAGged wood scrap (DAGwood? Nah) in the open to dry, go away for an hour or so.

When you come back to check the experiment, note what's in the mixing
container. Stir it with your brush. What is it? It's exactly the same
powdered graphite that came out of the can an hour or so ago. It DOESN'T
STICK TOGETHER! Now, check your wood scrap. Stir what's left on it. What
happens. It FALLS OFF, mostly. The point is that there has to be a binder of
some sort to get the powdered graphite to stick together and to the item to
which it is applied. No binder, no stick. No stick, no stay. No stay, no
good. No stick, no stay, no good, not DAG. 

Now, since we all seem to be in agreement, if we were paying attention and
tried the experiment, that denatured alcohol and powdered graphite alone
does NOT make DAG 154, or anything remotely similar, what is the binder used
in this product. Barring that, what is a good alternative binder for use
with graphite on bridge tops? Shoe polish has been suggested, anyone else?  

The binder in pencil lead, incidentally, is clay. The higher the percentage
of clay in the mix, the harder the lead. I.E. 6H, 4H, 2H, B, BBBB


Intermittently hopeful, Ron



>Ron and list:
>
>the key word here is "powdered" graphite. It doesn't have to dissolve or be
>dissolved by anything-it is simply a powdered solid suspended in the
>denatured alcohol....
>
>P.S. I guess i was wrong...THIS is my last post on this thread...     ;-]
>
>Regards,
>Greg Torres
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Ron Nossaman <nossaman@SOUTHWIND.NET>
>To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Date: Friday, November 28, 1997 6:18 PM
>Subject: Re: graphite lubricants
>
>
>>Lance,
>>
>>If I could get graphite to dissolve in denatured alcohol, it would surprise
>>me greatly. Sorry, I don't believe it. There's got to be a binder.
>>
>>



 Ron Nossaman